Aisle-seat



1935. c. A. VAN DERVEER 2,018,983

AISLE SEAT Filed Oct. 5; 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 29, 1935. c. A. VAN DERVEER AISLE SEAT Filed Oct. 5, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1935- c. A. VAN DERVEER 2,018,983 AISLE SEAT Filed Oct. 5, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE signor to S. Karpen &' Bros., Chicago, 111., a

corporation of West Virginia Application October 5,

9 Claims.

This invention relates to aisle seats and a. primary object is to provide chairs equipped with improved movable arm-rests which may be readily converted into aisle seats.

The invention is illustrated, in its preferred embodiment, by the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view in elevation of a chair equipped with an arm-rest embodying my invention; Fig. 2, an enlarged sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a view similar to that of Fig. 2 but showing the arm-rest in seat-forming position; Fig. 4, a broken side view of the arm-rest in seat-forming position; Fig. 5, a broken view in elevation showing the arm-rests on adjacent chairs coacting to form an aisle-seat; Fig. 6, a broken front View in elevation of a modified form of aisle-seat; and Fig. '7, a view similar to that of Fig. 6 but showing the aisle-seat members in arm-resting position.

In the illustration given in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, A designates a chair on one side of the aisle and B, a chair on the opposite side of the aisle, the two chairs being in substantial alignment. The chair A, as shown more clearly in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is equipped with an arm-rest C which, in itself, forms a complete aisle-seat. The member C comprises a seat-forming member l and a back II, the back being pi-votally connected to the seat H) at l2. The seat member I0 is carried by a pair of supporting bars l3, each of the bars having an enlarged outer end l4 provided with a. longitudinal slot I 5. The side casing l6 of the chair A is provided at its. top with a metal socket ll, the socket being cut away at Hi to permit the bar l3 to swing outwardly, when the bar is raised. A cross pin I9 is secured within the socket and extends through the opening or slot l5, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. With this construction, the bar I3 will be supported in a vertical position, with the pin l9 at the top of the slot, as shown in Fig. 2; or, if it is desired to swing the member C to a horizontal position across the aisle, the bar l3 may be raised until the pin I! engages the lower portion of the slot and then swung outwardly through the opening 18. In the latter position, the outer wall of the socket cooperates with the rear wall to support the arm in the horizontal position shown in Fig. 2'.

The chair B, on the oppositeside of the aisle, is also equipped with an arm-rest D. The rest D issimilar to C except that it has no back member. The member D is also secured to the casing 193-2, Serial No. 636,382

Hi of the chair B in the same way that the member C is secured to the casing iii of chair A, the only difierence being that the sockets of the casing H are positioned lower than the sockets in the casing I6. With this construction, the member D, when swung to horizontal position, occupies a position directly below the member C and serves as a support therefor. The relation of the two members C and D, in the seat-forming position, is shown more clearly in m Fig. 5.

In the operation of the seat, when the parts are in seat-forming position, as shown in Fig. 5, they are restored to arm-supporting position by first iolding the back ll down upon the seat 115 [.0 of the member C and raising it to vertical position and then swinging the member D to vertical position. It will be noted that when the arm-rests C. and D reach a true vertical position, the ends of the supporting bars [3 drop intothe sockets, the pins [9 engaging the upper ends of slots [5. In converting the arm-rests to seat-forming position, the reverse of the operation just described is followed. The member D is raised to permit the bars l3 to swing outwardly through slots Hi to the position shown in Fig- 5.. The arm-rest C is then raised to permit its supporting bars l3 likewise to swing to horizontal position, the seat member in resting upon and being supported by the member D. The back ll is then swung to vertical. position to complete the aisle-chair.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the member E is substantially the same as member D in the. combination illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5. The member E is supported in the same way upon the casing ta of the seat 13 so that when the member is swung to. seat-forming position, it will occupy the lower position in the aisle-seat combination. The member F, however, is not like the member C. It consists of a back member 20 having pivotally connected to its lower edge portion a drop seat member 2|. Instead of the member 2| being supported on a horizontal pivot, the member 20 is supported by standards 22 upon a vertical pivot 23 carried by the casing I'6-.

In the operation of the modification illustratedin Fig. 6-, the members are converted into arm-rests by first raising the drop seat 2 i to ver tical position and then swinging the member on the vertical pivot tothe position shown in Fig. The member E is then raised to a vertical position. To convert the arm-rests intoan aisleseat, the reverse of the operation just described is followed.

If desired, the supporting standards or hinge elements 22 may be somewhat closely fitted 0n the pivot 23 so as to cause the member F to remain in the position to which it is swung, although, it will be understood that any suitable means for this purpose may be employed.

The foregoing detailed description has been givenfor clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art. r

I claim: Y

1. In combination, a pair of aligned seats spaced apart to provide an aisle therebetween, arm-rests at adjacent ends of said seats and normally disposed on opposite sides of the aisle, one of said arm-rests having hingedly connected seat and back members, and supporting devices normally supporting said arm rests in arm-supporting position, said supporting devices having means'whereby the rests may be swung across the aisle and supported in superposed relation, said hinged seat of the first-mentioned rest resting upon the other arm-rest.

2. In combination, a pair of aligned seats spaced apart to provide an aisle therebetween, arm-rests at adjacent ends of said seats and normally disposed at opposite sides of the aisle, and supporting devices normally supporting said arm-rests in arm-supporting position, said supporting devices providing means whereby said arm-rests may be swung across the aisle and supported in horizontal superposed relation with the lower rest supporting the upper, the upper of said superposed members being provided with a hinged back. 7 3. In combination, a pair of aligned seats spaced apart to provide an aisle therebetween, arm-rests at adjacent ends of said seats and normally disposed on opposite sides of the aisle, one of said arm-rests being provided with a back and being supported at a higher elevation than the opposing arm-rests, and supporting devices normally supporting said arm-rests in arm-supxportingposition, said supporting devices having means whereby the lower rest may be swung across the aisle and supported in horizontal po-- sition and the back-equipped rest may be swung across the aisle to rest upon the other rest.

, 4. In combination, a pair of aligned seats spaced apart to provide an aisle therebetween, convertible arm-rests respectively for the adjacent sides of said seats and normally occupying standing positions on opposite sides of the aisle, frame means supporting said seats and said armrests, and connecting devices between said frame means and arm-rests serving to support said arm-rests normally in arm-supporting position, one of said connecting devices providing a substantially horizontal pivotal axis whereby the corresponding arm-rest may be dropped to horizontal position across the aisle-space and being provided with means for supporting the same in horizontal position and the other of said connecting devices providing a substantially horizontal pivotal axis at a relatively higher point whereby the latter arm-rest may be swung to a horizontal position above and at the rear edge of said first-mentioned arm-rest, said lattermentioned arm -rest being provided with a hinged seat adapted to be dropped to a horizontal position and to rest on said first-mentioned arm-rest.

5. In combination, a pair of aligned seats spaced apart'to provide an aisle therebetween, convertible arm-rests respectively for the adjacent sides of said seats and normally occupying standing positions'at opposite sides of said aisle, frame means supporting said seats and said armrests, and connecting devices between said frame means and arm-rests serving to support said arm-rests normally in arm-supporting position, one of said connecting devices providing a substantially horizontal pivotal axis and supporting "means whereby the corresponding arm-rest may be dropped to horizontal position across the aisle space and supported in such position and the other of said connecting devices providing a substantially vertical axis whereby the other armrest may be swung to a transverse standing position substantially above the rear edge of said may be swung across the aisle into horizontal position,- one of the rests'being locked; by said means -in horizontal position so as to serve as a support for the other rest, said last-mentioned rest when swung to horizontal position bearing upon and supported bysaid first-mentioned rest, and a back member pivotally secured to said lastmentioned rest.

7. The combination of twoseats in end to end relation on opposite sides of an aisle, each seat having an arm rest member at its aisle end, the height of each arm rest member being only slightly less than the width of the aisle, the armrest member of one of said seats being pivotally supported thereon to swing on an approximately vertical axis outwardly and rearwardly of its seat into the aisle space, and the arm rest member of the other seat being pivotally and shiftably supported thereon to be shifted outwardly of its pivotal support and to swing on an approximately horizontal axis outwardly and downwardly of its seat into the aisle space in front of the lower portion of the other arm rest member and to be in outwardly shifted position when positioned in the aisle space, whereby said arm rest mem- 55 bers when swung into the aisle coact to form an auxiliary aisle seat including a seat portion and a back portion in the center of the aisle.

8. The combination of two seats in end to end relation on opposite sides of an aisle, each seat having an arm rest member at its aisle end, the height of each arm rest member being onlyslightly less than the width of the aisle, means whereby the armrest member of one of said seats is pivotally supported thereon to swing on an approximately vertical axis outwardly and rearwardly of its'seat into the aisle space, and means whereby the arm rest member of the other seat is shiftably hinged thereon to shift away from the seat and to swing on an approximately horizontal axis outwardly and downwardly into the aisle space in front of the lower portion of the other arm rest member when it is positioned in the aisle space, whereby said arm rest members when positioned in the aisle coact and form an auxiliary aisle seat including a seat portion and a back portion in the center of the aisle.

9. The combination with a seat and an arm rest therefor, of means movably securing said arm rest to one end of the seat, said means including an upwardly open socket and a hinge pin secured to one end of the seat, a member secured to the arm rest and having a nose engaging in said socket and having a portion provided with a slot embracing said pin with the pin spaced from the lower end of the slot when the arm rest is in vertical position, whereby said means permit the arm rest, when in vertical position, to be shifted upwardly to disengage said nose from said socket and then to be pivoted into horizontal position alongside the end of the seat, and stop means for positively sustaining said arm rest in horizontal position and by which pivotal movement of said arm rest beyond said horizontal position is prevented.

CLARENCE A. VAN DERVEER. 

